The Lazarus Binome
by Aaron D
Summary: When two rogue Codemasters invade Mainframe, it's up to Bob and Matrix to stop them, along with a little help from a certain junk man! Between Seasons 3 and 4.


**NOTE: **This is story is tragically non-canon, as I wrote it before there was a season four. Therefore, some of the things below won't fit, although some will. I don't know why it wasn't already up here, but it sure wasn't. The title comes from a 90's TV show from UPN or something featuring Robert Urich.

**The Lazarus Binome**

The sights of Ol' Man Pearson's Data Dump were something to behold. Lots of useless things, "trash", some might call them, piled upon each other. But to Enzo Matrix, these things held great value. Some of the discarded items might prove useful in building his fly-cart---his newest obsession, one he intended to fulfill.

"C'mon, Frisket," he urged as he zipped down onto the dump. Enzo knew he would find something of value here, perhaps all the parts that he needed.

Enzo searched for what seemed like minutes, sifting through the piles, tossing away useless items, like old trash capacitors and pieces of brittle, ancient circuitry.

Looking up toward the hut, which was the only point of civilization in the entire area, Enzo felt a new idea enter his processor. He motioned to Frisket and the dog followed him to the door.

"I don't think Ol' Man Pearson's home, boy," he said. "Let's see what's inside. I'll bet we find a lotta great stuff!"

The door opened with a loud creak, and Enzo and Frisket peered into house of the most reclusive binome in Mainframe. Dozens of treasures lined the walls, and Enzo gasped in joy.

"Wow!"

The young sprite sorted through the contents of the hut, relishing in the amount of junk that would no doubt some second be part of his ultimate design. Those that he didn't need, he carelessly tossed over his shoulder.

"What're you doin' in here?" a rickety voice demanded.

Enzo was abruptly lifted up by the neck of his shirt to face an elderly binome.

"I thought I told you never to come in here again," Pearson said, shaking Enzo as he did so.

"What?" Enzo stuttered nervously. "You've never told me that!"

"Oh, yeah," Pearson said, as he was apparently remembering something. He put Enzo down on his feet. "You're that new one, aren't you?" "What are you talking about? I'm the same me I always was!"

"Yeah, but you're the backup, right?" Pearson shoved Enzo towards the door, Frisket growling but following. "I told the big one never to come back after he messed up my stuff last time."

The old binome paused in his movement. "You ain't leavin' yet. You gotta clean up this place 'fore you go."

"What?"

"You heard me. Get to work." Frisket growled again. "Tell yer dog to wait outside."

"It's okay, Frisket." Enzo sighed. This promised to be no fun at all.

Enzo Matrix, the other Enzo Matrix, the big one, was flying to Pearson's hut as his other self was forced into cleaning duty by the old binome. Phong had sent him to pick up a special component for use in the Core, an interface translator that had burned out earlier that cycle.

As Matrix knocked on the door, he heard a familiar voice yell, "I'll get it!"

A second voice said, "You keep to the cleanin', sprite. I got it!"

Matrix recognized this voice as Ol' Man Pearson. He knocked on the door again, and Pearson answered it.

"What'd you---oh, it's you! Attacking my hut, are you?"

"No, no, Mr. Pearson. I just..." Matrix was amazed at how the old binome still intimidated him, after all the hours that had passed by. Matrix knew, as Enzo did not, that Pearson had once been one of the fearsome travelers of the Web known as Codemasters. Perhaps his awesome bluster was accrued from that period of his life.

"What?" demanded Pearson.

"Phong asked me to pick up a spare interface translator from you. You have one, right?"

"Yeah, I got one. Come on in." Matrix followed Pearson into the hut. He saw his "other self" cleaning up some of the junk on the floor.

"What's up, Enzo?"

"The old man's got me cleaning up. Says I shouldn't be hanging around here," Enzo explained.

Matrix smiled. He knew the hut would likely never be completely cleaned. "You behave yourself, kid."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Here's yer translator," Ol' Man Pearson said, shoving the item into Matrix's outstretched hand. "Now get outta here."

"Yessir!" Matrix affirmed, walking outside. He stopped, wanting to say something else. "Mr. Pearson..."

"Huh?"

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for all those times I messed up your place. And for him, too. We're the same code, after all."

The old binome smiled, winked. Then, Pearson reentered the hut and shut the door. Matrix heard him say, "Back to work, boy! It'll take minutes to get this place clean!"

"This sucks bitmap..."

"Shut up and clean!"

Matrix laughed. "See you back at the Diner, Enzo!!" He flew off.

Bob took another sip of his energy shake. "What was that?" he asked.

Matrix, having finished his work for Phong and returned to the Diner, put his question to the Guardian again.

"I said, why don't you ever wear your uniform anymore?" The big sprite glanced down at Bob's silver armor, the outfit he had chosen ever since he had merged with Glitch.

There were no other patrons in Dot's Diner at the time, save himself, Matrix, and AndrAIa. Cecil was in the kitchen working on the dispenser. Bob thought for a microsecond.

"I guess...I just don't feel like it, Enzo. I've changed so much, it wouldn't feel right to put my uniform back on now. Besides, the Guardian Collective is somewhat nonfunctional at the moment." Bob took another sip. "I could ask the same of you. Why don't you wear the uniform anymore?"

"He's got you there, lover." AndrAIa grinned.

"Bob..I.." Matrix sputtered. He composed himself, then continued. "After I lost the game, I just---didn't feel like I could wear it again. I was a disgrace to the uniform, you know?"

"Enzo, you could never be a disgrace," Bob reassured him. "I wouldn't have given you the protocols if I thought so."

The moment was interrupted by the system announcement.

**WARNING: INCOMING GAME WARNING: INCOMING GAME**

All three sprites ceased their conversation and rushed to intercept the energy cube.

Ray Tracer was surfing over Floating Point Park as he heard the announcement. He had never played a game before.

"This should be interesting," he said to himself.

The Surfer reaimed his surfboard, and went to play.

Mouse also heard the klaxons. The hacker, some of her Guardian training still intact from her Academy days, activated her zipboard and went to test her skills in the game cube.

**WARNING: INCOMING GAME WARNING: INCOMING GAME**

Enzo stopped in his cleaning. He rushed for the door, but Ol' Man Pearson blocked his path.

"Where do you think you're goin'?" asked the old binome.

"I've gotta go play the game," Enzo said. "Mainframe needs me!"

"What Mainframe needs," contradicted Pearson, "is for you to tidy up this hut! You ain't goin' anywhere 'til it's clean. There are others to play the game. You know that."

It was true. Enzo knew that Bob, AndrAIa, and his older self could handle it. Still, he protested.

"But--"

"GET TO WORK!!" the binome bellowed, and the tone was such that Enzo did not have the courage to deny it.

After the game energy had completely enveloped them, Bob, AndrAIa, and Matrix noticed that they were not alone in the game.

"Mouse, Ray!" Bob said. "Good to see you."

"And what about me, Guardian?" an eerie voice asked.

Bob turned around. "Hex! What are you doing here?"

The newly-reformed virus smiled, a facial expression she could not have done only recently without changing her mask, but, thanks to Bob, she could now do with only her mental processes.

"I'm a sprite now, Bob. I've got to defend my system, don't I?"

Bob noticed the uneasy looks on his other companions faces.

"But you didn't have to---"

The Guardian was interrupted by the voice of Mike the T.V.

"Welcome to the Byte Bowl, ladies and gentlebinomes! I'm your Master of Ceremonies, Mike the T.V., welcoming you to the ultimate contest between the Mainframe Binomes and the User's Bruisers! This clash of gridiron greats will determine the fate of this entire sector!"

"Football!" Matrix moaned, noticing their stadium surroundings. "I hate football."

"What's football?" Ray Tracer asked.

"There's no helping it Matrix," Bob said as he tapped his icon.

"REBOOT!" The sprites' icons allowed the game energy to temporarily alter their states of reality.

"Oooo! I've never rebooted before!" Hexadecimal exclaimed. "That tickles!"

"Oh, now I understand what football is," Ray said, banging himself on the helmet.

"That's because the reboot gave you the knowledge you needed to compete in the game," explained Bob.

"Thank you, Mr. Exposition," Mouse remarked sarcastically.

"I've never played in a game before," Ray said. "This should be fun."

"It's not FUN, you piece of Web trash!" Matrix shouted. "If we lose, we all get nullified!"

"So it's serious then?" Ray inquired.

"Of course is serious, you!..." Matrix attempted to strangle the Surfer, but Ray's shoulder pads got in his way.

"Hey, save it for the game, mate," Ray said. "We don't want to be nullified, you know."

"D'oooohh!!!"

"Stop it, you two!" Bob commanded. "Let's see..." The Guardian looked at the numbers on each of his teammates' jerseys.

"Okay. On offense, Hex, Ray, and I are the receivers. AndrAIa, you're the tight end..."

"Watch it," warned the game sprite.

"No really, that's your position. Mouse, you are the halfback, and that means that you, Matrix, are playing---"

"Quarterback. Great." Matrix growled in exasperation. "Bob, you should be the quarterback. I can't lead the team. You should."

"Matrix, the game protocols for our positions are already integrated. We've got to play the positions we've been assigned."

"Okay, but don't blame me when we're all nulls."

"Don't talk like that, Sugar," Mouse said. "I'm sure you'll do just fine."

"When do I get to hit people?" Hexadecimal appealed.

"In just a nano," Bob answered. "The User's already won the coin toss. We've got to kick off now. Who's our placekicker?"

"I say, Binky! He must mean me!" A zero binome, followed by a one, took his place on the field in front of the ball. "Ready to go, sir!" he said to Matrix.

The whistle blew.

"Let's get this fiasco over with," Matrix growled.

Phong was watching the progress of the game on a vidwindow in the Principle Office. The Binomes had held the User's team to a field goal on their first possession, and now the Bruisers were getting ready to kick off to the Mainframe team.

Phong sensed something amiss. Looking around the room, he heard a chillingly familiar sound. Dot, also watching the game, saw what the System Administrator had heard. "Phong, look!" she cried.

Phong looked. A tear in the reality of Mainframe had occurred. Not a tear in the usual sense of the word, but a tear nonetheless. He and Dot had seen this form before. The tear was the way Codemasters traveled the Net.

Two Codemasters emerged from the tear. They appeared the same as the other Codemasters Phong had encountered before. He had no clue as to what they desired in Mainframe.

"I am the of Mainframe," Dot said. "What do you want in this system?"

"We seek Codemaster Talon," one replied. "We know he is here."

Phong felt a fear pervade his being that he had not felt since a virus had placed his head in a jar and invaded the depths of his very soul. It was a testament to his spiritual conditioning that none of this fear showed. He motioned to Dot.

"There is no one in this system by that name," he declared.

"We know he is here!" the second Codemaster hissed.

"One of your number came here cycles ago, to investigate this," Phong explained. "Codemaster Talon is no more, as he must have reported."

"We know he lied!" shouted the first.

"We wrung the information from him, and in his last words he confessed that he allowed Talon to remain here alive, in this system. You can not keep him from us. We will find him!"

The first Codemaster opened another reality tear, and they both stepped through. Phong let out a sigh of relief.

"What can we do, Phong?" Dot asked.

"I do not know, my child." he sadly stated.

Matrix looked left, right. He signaled Bob to go in motion, which he swiftly did. Matrix called for the game-sprite center to snap the ball.

Movement assaulted the big sprite's senses, and he knew it was time to act. He clumsily heaved the ball in Hexadecimal's direction, determining that she was his best choice as receiver.

He had overthrown her a bit. No problem for Hex. She jumped six feet in the air, deftly seizing the pigskin. The former virus floated down gracefully to the playing field, running fast as she could.

"Hex, you're running the wrong way!" Bob yelled.

"Sorry," she said simply and pivoted. She began running in the proper direction. One of the User's team slammed into her, knocking her to the turf.

"Ow!" Hex looked up at the player who had hit her. "That wasn't nice," she said, grinning. She fired an energy blast at the player, and abruptly he wasn't there anymore. The whistle blew, a yellow flag flying down.

"Personal foul," the referee binome stated, "number 80, offense. Premeditated deletion. Fifteen yards, first down."

"Ohhh!" Mike the T.V. commented. "So a huge gain for the Binomes is brought back on Hexadecimal's merciless slaughtering of an opposing player! What is this game coming to?"

"Okay," said Matrix in the huddle, "Good catch, Hex. Try not to kill the guy who tackles you next time."

"But he was so rude!" Hexadecimal protested.

"I understand, Hex," AndrAIa consoled, "but you've got to follow the rules of the game."

"Very well," Hex conceded.

"Okay, we're gonna run it this time. Mouse, you ready?"

"Never more, honey."

"Okay, off tackle on three. BREAK!"

"Stay frosty," Bob added for emphasis.

The sprites resumed their stance at the line. Matrix called for the snap at the appointed signal, and handed the ball to Mouse. She dashed over the line, tiptoeing over the helmets of the Bruisers, then was confronted by a huge linebacker.

Mouse unsheathed her katana and sliced off the linebacker's left arm. A flag flew down to the turf. She continued on, until finally being brought down by the safety.

"Unstandard maiming," the referee said. "Number 31, offense. Five yards, loss of down."

"D'ooooh!" Matrix screamed.

In the huddle, he continued. "We've gotta stop being so violent."

"Never thought I'd hear you say that," AndrAIa said.

"Football's quite the violent sport," Ray observed.

"Quiet!" Bob ordered. "Listen to the quarterback."

"Slant play, on two," Matrix explained. "BREAK!"

After the snap, Matrix saw Bob open across the middle. He quickly tossed the ball in his general direction. The cornerback stepped in front of Bob and intercepted the pass. Bob quickly wrestled his opponent to the ground.

Matrix howled in frustration.

"Oh, no!" Mike wailed. "Enzo Matrix throws an interception and the Binomes are forced to go back on defense. What a terrible turn of events!"

"Is nullification fun?" Hexadecimal asked.

"Not exactly, Sugar," was Mouse's comeback.

Ol' Man Pearson silently swept up his house. He had sent the Matrix boy, the little one, back to his sister's Diner, and now he was again in peace. Why couldn't they just leave him alone?

At least the big Enzo had apologized to him. There might be hope for that one yet.

"Codemaster Talon! Face me!" a voice outside hissed.

Pearson's capacitor skipped a beat. They weren't supposed to come here! That one had told him that he would not be bothered again! He quickly reached into his special box, grabbed out his spear. He'd reconstructed it after the last incident, hoping there would not be a need for it but fearing that there would be.

He stepped outside. Two Codemasters were waiting to face him. The first, the blue one, extended his spear. His insectoid body elongated into combat mode. The second, a green, stood back, no doubt to serve as a witness.

"Now we will fight to deletion, Talon," the blue one said.

"I'm just an old binome," Pearson said. "I don't fight anymore."

"Fight me," he hissed, "or I will kill you where you stand."

Pearson threw his spear to the side. "No!" He stood defiantly.

"Then, die!" The energized tip of the Codemaster's pike drove into Pearson's body. The old binome quivered, the collapsed to the ground. He hadn't thought they'd actually do it.

At least now, he would have peace.

"We shall take Talon's system as our own!" the green Codemaster said.

"Indeed," replied his companion. "Let us occupy this Mainframe with force; a new haven for Codemasters!"

Neither one of the Codemasters noticed the springs bounce out of Pearson's body, so intent were they on conquest.

The Binomes ran back the first kick of the second half for a touch- down, but they hadn't been able to prevent the User from scoring again. A long pass on the outside had resulted in a touchdown. Matrix and Ray had tried to stop the receiver, but they had ended up colliding with one another and the User had scored. The following kickoff return, taken by Bob, had given them position at their own 28 yard-line, the score at 10-7.

"What a precarious position for the Mainframers!" Mike screamed into the microphone. "With only thirty-one ticks left in the second half, the Binomes must drive seventy-two yards for a score! But can they do it? We'll find out after these messages."

"I say, Binky, I think we've bought it," said the plackicker on the sidelines.

While Mike was advertising for "New & Improved Bucket O' Nothing," Bob consulted with Matrix.

"I can't throw the ball," Matrix complained. "I've never played quarterback before."

Bob tried to spell it out. "It's not that hard, Enzo. You just have to focus, and hit the targeted receiver."

Targeted receiver.

Target.

"Thanks, Bob! You're right!" Matrix ran off to join the huddle.

Bob smiled. His little inspirational talks always did the trick.

The first play was a quarterback keeper. Matrix ran the ball down to the Binomes' thirty-eight before he was tackled. Enough for a first down. He called timeout.

"Okay," he said in the huddle. "This is big. AndrAIa, it's comin' right at you."

"Got it, Sparky."

"Hex, I need you to block for me."

"Of course, dear Enzo," she said.

"Great. Over the middle, on four. BREAK!" The big sprite clapped his meaty hands together, breaking the huddle. The center gripped the ball, and at the proper time, snapped it.

Matrix dropped back, a simple five-step drop. He saw AndrAIa open in the middle of the field. He looked straight at her.

"Target lock!" he shouted. A small red icon flew onto the middle of her chest. Trying to ignore the specifics of where his target had landed, Matrix let his instincts take control and let the ball fly.

"Oooo! A perfect spiral, folks," Mike called.

AndrAIa caught the pass, tucked it under her right arm, and ran forward. Almost instantly, she was crushed by a huge defender and slammed into the turf, her opponent landing on top of her.

"AndrAIa!" Matrix shouted.

The defender got up, only to have his head immediately blasted off by a shot from Matrix's gun. AndrAIa got up, dazed, as another yellow flag hit the field.

"Illegal decapitation, number 14, offense," the referee binome clarified. "Fifteen yards, first down."

"Yet another act of senseless violence by the Binomes!" Mike exclaimed. "Oh, the destruction, oh, the futility, oh, the RATINGS!"

"AndrAIa, you okay?" Matrix asked.

"Sure thing, lover. I'm tougher than you give me credit for. You didn't have to shoot him, you know."

"That's never stopped me before," Matrix responded. "Alright, we've only got eight seconds left. This has to be it. Ray!" The Surfer looked up. "It's all you." Tracer nodded.

"On three. BREAK!"

After the snap, Matrix looked to his left, to Bob. He faked a throw, snaring in the defenders, then turned to the other side of the field and targeted Ray. He thrust his arm forward, sending the ball sailing to the Web Surfer.

Ray caught it. The Surfer jumped into the air, and his surfboard zoomed in under him. He zipped toward the end zone, evading all the defenders with complex twists and turns. When he reached the goal, he lowered the surfboard to the ground, and stepped onto the turf just as the clock ran out.

"Touchdown Binomes!" Mike expostulated. "13-10, Mainframe in the lead!"

There was a great deal of shouting from the Bruisers' bench. The User's coach went to argue with the referees.

Bob immediately went to argue the Mainframers' case as well. Matrix had confidence in Bob, knowing that he would be able to convince the officials.

The referee stepped forward.

"Due to the fact that the surfboard is part of the player's body, it is a legal motion. The ruling stands. Touchdown."

**GAME OVER**

After the Game cube ascended, leaving the sprites in their usual attire, Matrix ran to Bob and clapped him on the shoulder.

"I knew you could do it, Bob! You sure fooled those referees!"

"I'm glad to be outta them shoulder pads, honey," Mouse said. "So confinin',"

"Oh, yes," Hex said with a markedly different feeling present in her voice.

"I still don't understand football, mate," Ray Tracer confessed to Bob.

"You did a great job, Sparky," AndrAIa told Matrix. "Looks like quarterback was your position all along."

"I wouldn't say that, Andr--"

A vidwindow popped into existence in front of them. It was Dot.

"Bob! Two Codemasters have invaded the system! They said they were looking for Codemaster Talon!"

Bob and Matrix shared a look, a thought.

Ol' Man Pearson.

They had left the scene alone, just the two of them; no one else knew the true identity of Codemaster Talon save themselves, Dot, and Phong. Matrix feared that he and Bob would be too late, that the old binome would have already been killed and the culprits escaped.

His fears were realized when he and the Guardian converged on the Data Dump. He saw a binome's lifeless body laying on the front step of the shack.

"We're too late!" The big green sprite landed, deactivated his zipboard, and rushed to the body. "It's Pearson. He's dead."

Bob looked pensive. "I don't know, Enzo. Something's not right here." The Guardian took a closer inspection of the body. "See these springs, Enz---"

"Of course it's not right, Bob! Those bastards! They KILLED him." Matrix cradled the body, over-encumbered by his emotions.

Bob attempted to continue his line of reasoning, but was cut off by a ripping sound. The two Guardians spun around, both suspecting what they would see.

"Say hello to your new masters, sprites." Two Codemasters stood before them, Gibson Cole Pikes at the ready.

Bob put on his defiant face.

"Let two Codemasters take over Mainframe and get away with murder?" Matrix asked.

"I don't think so," Bob finished.

Matrix started to pull his gun out of its holster, but Bob stopped him with a wave of his hand. "Wait," the Guardian said.

"I am Guardian 452 of system Mainframe," Bob said, addressing the Codemasters. "I hereby request that you leave this system immediately."

"He can't be a Guardian," one Codemaster whispered to the other. "Where's his uniform?"

"You're right," the other agreed. "I think we'll not go, 'Guardian'. Oh, we were originally going to leave, but I'm afraid we've changed our minds. Now that we have deleted Codemaster Talon. Talon's system is now our own. Obey us or die."

The blue Codemaster flinched to the right as a shot from Matrix nearly grazed his shoulder.

"That was a warning shot," the big sprite announced. "I never give two of those."

The Codemasters darted apart. The two Guardians, minds alike, each followed to face his respective opponent.

Matrix reactivated his zipboard and followed the blue Codemaster up to the roof of Ol' Man Pearson's shack.

The Codemaster was ready for him. A paralyzing blast from his pike hit Matrix's right hand. The big sprite was prepared for this, having seen a Codemaster in action before. He threw Gun to the ground, and the blast encased his right hand, eliminating all movement. Matrix rolled to the right, landing on the roof, picked up the gun in his left hand, and prepared for his own strike before his opponent could recover from his move.

"Target lock!" he barked, moving his gun into position. Three shots fired from Gun, Matrix knowing his opponent would attempt to dodge.

The Codemaster's error was there, for though he was able to get his body out of the way of the shots, the green sprite's target was not the Codemaster himself, but his pike. The Gibson Cole Pike shattered in two pieces, Matrix's third shot hitting right on the money.

"What!?" screeched the Codemaster incredulously. He dived under the following shots and slapped the remainder of his pike toward Matrix's left hand.

Gun went skittering to the far edge of the roof. Matrix countered with a right hook, the forcefield on his hand having shattered with the destruction of the Gibson Pike. The blue Codemaster recovered quickly, dropping the remnants of his spear and ensnaring Matrix's hand with his own clawed digits. Heaving with all of his might, the Codemaster sent the big sprite slamming into the metallic surface of Ol' Man Pearson's roof.

Matrix pivoted his body around and thrust his feet into the Codemaster's torso, knocking his opponent back and allowing him time to regain his footing. He grimaced.

This wasn't going to be easy.

Bob flew after the green Codemaster, sailing out of the Data Dump and into the more populated sections of Mainframe. The Guardian finally caught up with his foe in the center of the Baudway. Bob was worried -- he didn't want any innocent civilians to get caught in the crossfire of this battle.

The Codemaster had landed right in front of Dot's Diner. Bob knew he had to get him out of the Baudway. He raised his right hand a fired an low-intensity energy blast directly at the Codemaster.

He blocked it with his Pike, dispersing the energy harmlessly around him. "What was that, 'Guardian'?" hissed the Codemaster. "Is that the extent of your power?"

"You're not worth my full power," Bob said with disdain. He fired another low-intensity blast, which the Codemaster again effortlessly blocked. "You're just a little bug, trying to invade my system."

"Bug!" The Codemaster fired what Bob knew was a lethal blast from his spear. Bob barely managed to throw up his shields in time, and he still felt the brunt of the blow push him backward. He had to think of something fast.

He called on Glitch's abilities, blinking himself in and out of existence. He appeared and reappeared continuously on each side of the Codemaster, trying to confuse the being from the Web.

He managed to catch the Codemaster looking the other way, and let a much stronger blast fly from his hands. The Codemaster stumbled forward, hurt but still quite active. He flipped around to face the Guardian.

"I thought I wasn't worth your full power," the Codemaster said.

"That wasn't it," Bob bluffed. "I've still got reserves you haven't even seen."

Bob could feel disaster impending upon him. He could wear his opponent down eventually, but he suspected that one shot from the Gibson Pike would delete him. He wasn't about to test his theory, but he couldn't keep throwing up energy shields forever. Sooner or later he would be depleted, and then at the mercy of the Codemaster.

If he could take the Pike out of the equation, he might have better odds against him...

Bob raised his shield again, withstanding another blast. He felt his reserve energy dropping. He fired another low-energy shot at the Codemaster. As his foe flinched, Bob fired again with his right hand, knocking the Gibson Cole Pike out of the Codemaster's hands and onto the street of the Baudway. The Codemaster scrambled for it.

Bob was there first.

He gripped the Pike firmly in his hands. The Guardian had no clue how to use its powers in battle. He swung at the Codemaster, knocking him back. Pointing the tip in his adversary's direction, he willed the Pike to do something, anything.

Nothing happened.

"Funny," Bob remarked to himself. "That always worked with Glitch."

"Perhaps I might make better use of that, son."

Bob looked to his right. Another Codemaster was there. This one's scales were of a golden sheen. Dot stood beside him.

"It that who I think it is?" the Guardian asked Dot.

She nodded.

"I heard you were dead," said Bob.

"The rumors of my deletion..." Bob winced as the friendly Codemaster spoke, expecting one of the all-time overused cliches. "...were a load of null-krat."

Bob grinned. Somewhat refreshing. He handed the Gibson Cole Pike over to the golden Codemaster, then went over to stand next to Dot.

"You!" shrieked the blue Codemaster. "You're dead! I saw it!" He cowered on the ground, prostrating himself before Codemaster Talon.

"I can not kill you. I took a vow not to harm any life, in any form. But I can do this." Talon opened up a reality tear with his Pike. Aiming the weapon at the blue Codemaster, he made a swift motion, and the foreign Codemaster went sailing through it. Talon then closed the rift, leaving the Baudway silent.

"Where'd you send him?" Dot asked.

"To the deepest areas of the Web. It'll take him a good long time to find his way back, if he ever does. And now he doesn't have a Pike. Why can't these young whippersnappers understand I just wanna be left alone? Like that green fella..."

"Enzo!" Bob exclaimed. "He's back at your hut, with the other Codemaster! We've got to help him!"

"Right," said Talon. "I could use an energy beer, anyway..."

The green Codemaster picked Matrix up with his deceptively thin arms. He slammed his insectoid head into the sprite's, causing Matrix a great deal of pain. Matrix freed his arms and drew his hands together over the Codemaster's head. He brought his clenched hands down as hard as he could on the back of the Codemaster's neck.

His foe let go of him, reeling backward in a stupor caused by the intensity of Matrix's blow. The renegade Guardian did not let up his attack. He rained a series of blows onto his opponent.

"Did you enjoy it?" he asked in his rage. "Did you savor the last look of consignment on his face?!"

The Codemaster grabbed Matrix's wrists. "Foolish sprite! You have not even dreamed of the power I have at my command!" he hissed.

He threw Matrix away, causing the big sprite to topple over the far side of the hut. Matrix grabbed onto the edge, his zipboard too far out of reach to save him. His right hand brushed Gun. He grasped it and fired five shots blindly.

One of the shots must have scored, for Matrix heard a screech, and he was not attacked before he managed to haul himself back onto the roof. He looked, and saw the Codemaster's left arm dangling uselessly, vital energy streaming out of a bullet wound.

Matrix targeted the Codemaster's head. "I should kill you right now." Bob wouldn't like it, but it was the way it had to be. He, Matrix, knew what was best for Mainframe.

"Please," the Codemaster begged, "please don't kill me.."

"Isn't that what Pearson said? And you deleted him anyway!"

"Please," the Codemaster repeated.

Matrix growled. "I'll give you the chance you never gave him--- the chance to live." The big sprite turned around, leaving his back to the Codemaster.

Just as he had suspected, he heard the Codemaster charging him, no doubt to get him from behind.

He turned around, his gun pointed straight at a green, scaly forehead.

"Changed my mind," he explained.

Matrix pulled the trigger.

The Codemaster's body crumpled to the metal of Ol' Man Pearson's roof, then slowly faded out, his living energy no longer being able to sustain his form. Matrix retrieved his zipboard, then descended to where the old binome's body lay.

"Sorry, old friend," he murmured, cradling the head in his arms. "But I got him for you! He's dead now."

Matrix sensed a presence above him.

"Bob!" The Guardian was slowly approaching the hut. Matrix saw another Codemaster behind his friend. "Look out!" Matrix whipped out his gun and drew a bead on the Codemaster.

"Whoa, Enzo, wait!" Bob was frantically waving his arms. "We know this Codemaster!"

"We do?"

"Enzo, that body's just a shell."

"I know Bob!" Matrix wailed, still not comprehending. "A lifeless shell, robbed of its being, no longer able to feel, cry, laugh---"

"You don't understand," Bob said.

During this conversation, Codemaster Talon had slowly shifted back to his more commonplace binome form. He walked up to Matrix.

"What in tarnation do you think yer doin'?"

"You're alive!" Matrix cried, crushing Ol' Man Pearson in a huge bear hug. Pearson angrily freed himself from the big sprite's grasp.

"Don't ever do that again," he warned.

"Settle down, guys," Bob said, trying to make peace. "Let's all go to Dot's and have some energy shakes."

"Okay," Matrix agreed.

"An energy shake just isn't strong enough for me," said Pearson.

"I'm sure we'll work something out," Bob replied.

"So, anyway, I gave that binome contruct my spear, hoping that those two Codemasters would, thinking I was dead, leave it behind," Pearson explained. "But you two young varmints showed up just at the wrong time and ruined everything. I had to go get Dot, here to help me out."

"Right," Dot said. "Once Bob got the Gibson Pike from the Codemaster, we knew it was time for us to act. Talon -- er, Old Man Pearson, knew he could use the Pike once he got a hold of it."

"Yup," Pearson affirmated, taking a sip of his energy beer. "This is good beer, kid. Keep 'em comin'."

Dot, who had just added energy beer to her menu two nanoseconds ago, whipped up another one for the old binome.

AndrAIa stepped in through the doors, followed by Ray Tracer.

"What's going on around here?" she demanded.

"We heard there was a Codemaster around here, right love?"

"Right," AndrAIa agreed, as Matrix bristled at Ray's familiarity.

"Nope," Bob said. "Just relaxing and having a drink. Right, Enzo?"

"Yup," Matrix concurred. "Nothing interesting ever happens around here. Just talkin' trash with Ol' Man Pearson."

Ray and AndrAIa looked at one another, sure they were missing something, but not sure just what.

FIN


End file.
